Dare to Mix with 2Baba

The Ikeja City MaIl was packed to the brim last weekend as thousands of excited music lovers gathered to witness the first ever Campari cocktail festival, tagged “Dare To Mix”.
Guests enjoyed a fantastic selection of mouth – watering cocktails, great food, and an amazing atmosphere. The all day festival featured major attractions from the worlds of comedy, music and mixology which had guests completely enthralled throughout the day.

Campari Ambassador, 2Baba, who attended the festival with his beautiful wife, Annie Idibia, gave fans an unforgettable experience as he performed one hit song after another in a truly memorable performance. The superstar also taught consumers how to enjoy his signature cocktail, “Implication Shekarato”.

Another music superstar, Adigun Abolore Akande, popularly known as 9ice, also brought the roof down with his pulsating performance. The ‘Gongo Aso’ hitmaker also invited 2Baba on stage where they both performed the monster track, “Street Credibility” to the delight of fans present.
Comedian, Akpororo gave a mind- blowing performance as guests rolled in laughter throughout his time on stage. Then Kelly Handsome took fans down memory lane as he performed “Maga Don Pay” among other monster hits.
DJ of the night was superstar DJ, Jimmy Jatt, who got guests partying late into the night with a medley of some of the biggest hits from the local and international music scene.

NMS AFRICA DEFIES RECESSION
By forging ahead with the 12th Season, the Next Movie Star (NMS) Africa has demonstrated its staying power and firmness of purpose by defying the current hard-biting recession in Nigeria to become Africa’s most consistent reality TV show.

Sola Fajobi producer of the NMS stated this at a recent news conference. “The Economy is biting but we are forging ahead. We’ve been here for 11years. We have discovered more talents for Africa than any other reality TV show. We have been up. We have been down. And on our 12th year, we have the fortitude to succeed, even when our back are up against some ‘recession’ wall. These are some qualities we will instil in our housemates, especially, during our Training and Grooming (T&G) session – strength of character, strength of mind, moral strength.”

The T&G holds for two weeks to polish and prepare the housemates for stardom. The Supercharged housemates of 2016 have already been selected after some rigorous auditions held in Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria. In Nigeria, regional auditions where first held in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt before a final national audition in Lagos.

Auditions were judged by veteran actors like Nobert Young, Segun Arinze, Bukky Ogunnote, and Kingsley Ogboso. They were joined by two respected journalists – Shina Oyetayo and Sunday Adebayo. The Next Movie Star has produced the likes of Tonto Dike, Uti Nwachukwu, VJ Adams, Annie Idibia, Tamara Eteimo, Belinda Effah, Kevin Chuwang Pam, Karen Igho, Kingsley Ogboso, and a host of many other talents for the entertainment industry in Africa since the show began 12 years ago.

In Short Film Fest Call for Entries
The International Short Film Festival, InShort, whose sixth edition will be holding in Lagos, in December, 2016, is now calling for submissions.
Entries are invited from producers and owners of rights to both fictional short films and documentaries from around the world. The films which should not be longer than 30 minutes in length could also be experimental or student short films.
At the end of the three-day festival, films which are in competition stand the chance of winning awards and prizes in various categories. Deadline for submission is November 30.

TOLU SINGS FROM A THANKFUL HEART
– Vanessa Obioha
Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun has more than 10,000 reasons to be grateful to God. At a very harrowing period in her life, she found solace in God and music. It was in 2005, her mother had just passed on. Young and confused, she didn’t understand why her compassionate mother would be taken away from her and the rest of the world. Despite the pain and agony of losing her mother while studying in America, Tolu knew she would find peace in God’s presence. Moreover, her mother had inculcated the habit of relying on God and the Holy Spirit at all times. Thus, when she relocated a year later, she spent most of her time in God’s presence and singing.

From that tragic experience spurred a gifted passion: music. Through her music, Tolu hopes to inspire and restore healing to her listeners. Music to her goes beyond the voice. It is the sincerity of the heart and also a ministry.

“During my mother’s passing, music helped me through it all. It was the hardest time of my life. All I did was listen to music and it healed me from within. I know music is my ministry so I told myself that if I ever did music, it would be timeless, something that heals.”

Her new single ‘My Heart’ is an inspirational song that speaks of her gratitude to God. Produced by Spax, the soulful and inspirational vibe is Tolu’s way of appreciating the Almighty One for being there for her, particularly filling the void in her heart caused by her mother’s loss.
“When we speak about love, we speak about giving our hearts away. When I think about God and all he has done for me, I don’t know how else to show him gratitude but to give him the most important part of me: My heart. It’s a simple song of gratitude and love for my Maker.”

Indeed, Tolu has a lot to be grateful to. She is overwhelmed by her achievements in her career as well as her beautiful marriage which has produced two lovely children.
The apple truly didn’t fall far from the tree as Tolu inherited most of her mother’s spiritual gifts. She continues to walk in her mother’s shoes as a relationship counsellor. It was not deliberate. Her mother’s sermon at the time was lost on her because she didn’t understand what the single and married discourse was all about.

“I never knew I had the gift. Mum used to say it then but it was just over my head. Didn’t understand what she was talking about, until I got married. So I try to talk to my peers now and let them know that this love we are talking about is more than a feeling and marriage cannot be built on feelings. It is a conscious decision. You must decide and not feel. You must say to yourself that.

no matter how you feel,you must be a wife to this man. A lot of young people get married today and at the slightest provocation, they want to walk out of the marriage. No, that’s not how it works. I have come to understand that marriage is all about maturity. Deciding to do things right at the right time regardless of what my feeling or anyone else is telling me. So when you make up your mind that divorce is not an option (except in excessive domestic violence), then you can work on your marriage.”

The recently ordained-pastor runs an Instagram blog on relationships as well as counsel young persons in her parents’ church, Fountain of Life.
‘My Heart’ is the second single off her upcoming album. Her first single ‘Gifted and Proud’ which featured iconic singer Onyeka Onwenu was released in 2011.